How to Play Integer Target

In Integer Target, your goal is to get the
lowest possible score by getting your cards to add up to a number as close as possible to
a target number that you have chosen at the beginning of the game. The catch is that your cards may
have either positive or negative numbers on them, so you have to be very careful when you devise
your strategies! Things may not work the way you expect at first!

Selecting a Target Number

Before you begin to play Integer Target,
you will asked to select a 'target number'
between -20 and 20. Target numbers that are close to 0 are easier to "hit", but you will
get more credit for hitting target numbers that are farther from 0!

Once you choose your target number and press "PLAY!", you will be dealt two
cards and will be ready to begin!

Choosing an Action

At the beginning of each turn, you choose to draw or discard a card from your hand.
To draw, just click the "DRAW" button and your new card will appear on the deck below the buttons.
To discard, click the "DISCARD" button and then select the card you would like to get rid of.
Once you click on the card, it will be removed from your hand and placed on the deck.

Remember: Your goal is to draw or discard a card that will make the new
total of your cards closer to your target number (if possible!).

Entering an Equation

This might be the most challenging part of
Integer Target at first. But it's really not bad
once you get used to the basic format! The keypad on the right is now ready
to accept an equation from you. This equation will show what happened during your turn.

Look just above the "ENTER" button to see the format of the equation:

old sum +/- change = new sum

old sum: the sum of your cards at the beginning of your turn

+ / -: add or subtract (DRAW adds a card;
DISCARD subtracts a card.)

change: the card you drew or discarded

new sum: the sum of your cards at the end of your turn

Use the keypad to enter your equation. If you do it correctly using this format, it
will always create a true mathematical equation. Be careful, though!
The symbols for subtraction and negative may look a lot the same, but they're different things!
Use the minus button (between the plus and the equals signs)
for subtraction, but use the neg key near the top for negative numbers.

Once you've finished your equation, press "ENTER". Take a moment to see if
you were correct (if not, the correct equation will be shown) and to look at your
score, then press "NEXT TURN" to continue playing.

Scoring

You may notice that the players usually begin with different scores! This is because
the player who chose a more difficult target to hit is given a little 'head start'. The starting score
is calculated by taking 20 points minus the distance of the target number from 0. For example,
if you choose a target of -8 or 8, you will begin with 12 points (20 - 8).

At the end of each turn, your distance from your target number is added to your
score. (Remember - you want to keep your score as low as possible! This means you want to stay
as close to your target number as you can, even if you are not able to hit it exactly.) Then, if you
entered the equation correctly, your score will be lowered by 3 points. That may not seem like a lot, but
over the course of a whole game, it can really "add up"!

There is an opportunity for a bonus. Whenever you hit your target number, twice the
distance of the target from 0 is subtracted from your score, For example, if your target number is -13
and you hit it, your score will be reduced by 26 points!

The End of the Game

Integer Target ends when 10 rounds have been
played. The player with the lower score wins. (If you are playing by yourself, you may set your own
goals!) If both players have the same score, the person whose target number is farther from 0 is the winner.

A Few More Things

There's just one more rule to keep in mind. You will not be allowed to discard a card that
you just drew on the previous turn. If you have another card of the same value, that's fine, but it can't
be the very same card. You will need to wait for the next turn to get rid of it.

A strategy tip - occasionally, it may be helpful to hold on to cards that are keeping
you farther away from your target than you'd like. For example, you might notice a combination
of cards that could produce your exact target number once you make just the right discards! Also, '0' cards,
which can sometimes be annoying since they leave you right where you are, can be great if you do
hit your target - because when you discard them your total will be the same, meaning that you can hit your
target again on the next turn!

When you play Integer Target, you learn to
pay special attention to what causes the "old sum" to increase or decrease.

To increase the old sum: Add a positive card or subtract a negative card.

to decrease the old sum: Add a negative card or subtract a positive card.

This connects with a rule that is usually taught in math class - subtracting a number
gives the same answer as adding its opposite. If you play Integer Target
for a while, these ideas become more than just rules to memorize. You will really begin to
see why they happen!